What is gender studies? Why is the study of sex, sexuality, gender, and everything in between important? Gender studies addresses these questions through an interdisciplinary lens and covers subjects from politics to literature to the sciences.
Before these questions can be answered, an understanding of sex, sexuality, and gender is needed:
Sex refers to the biological, chromosomal, and anatomical features in the human body.
Sexuality is the behaviors, practices, and identities in the social world regarding who an individual desires or has romantic and/or erotic connections with.
Gender encompasses the complicated set of sociocultural practices whereby human bodies are transformed into “men”, “women”, and other genders. Gender studies explores the many ways it is socially and culturally produced, constructed and what that means.
Gender studies also explores the intersectionality between gender, race, and class. It also seeks to understand the impact that cultural and societal norms have had upon these areas of study.
A gender studies minor promotes critical thinking across theoretical boundaries and prepares students to live and work effectively and respectfully in modern society. This minor combines well with and compliments any major.
More information can be found here.
Dr. Taine Duncan
Director, Gender Studies Minor
Department of Philosophy and Religion
Irby Hall 118b
Phone: (501) 852-2641
Email: tduncan@uca.edu
“Through my time in the gender studies program, I have developed a deeper understanding and respect for what makes us all different. It also allowed m
e to explore how the different facets of my life are all interconnected and make me who I am.” – Corey Pillow